The New York Islanders are currently battling for a wild card spot and have multiple injuries throughout the lineup. Mat Barzal, Anthony Duclair, Adam Pelech, and Mike Reilly are all out. Barzal, Duclair, and Pelech should all be back in the next few weeks but Mike Reilly is out indefinitely after he underwent a heart procedure on Oct. 20.
Isaiah George has filled nicely for Reilly but the issue with the blue and orange right now is the bottom six. The Engvall, Cizikas, Holmstrom line has been solid, serving as the Islanders' lockdown line.
The NY Islanders 4th line is struggling
Since getting called up from Bridgeport, Pierre Engvall has goals in the last three of his last four games. He looks like a different player and is coming up big for the squad in a time of need.
Simon Holmstrom has looked very comfortable and has been aggressive on the third line. Casey Cizikas has played his two-way game and has been a great forechecker on that line.
The problem is the fourth line. Right now the fourth line is Martin, MacLean, and Wahlstrom. They have been dominated in every category by the opposition, not leaving Patrick Roy with a ton of options because of the injuries. But is there anyone they could call up to make a change?
The only player I would give another chance to would be Liam Foudy. Foudy, a former first-round pick by the Columbus Blue Jackets brings speed - something the Islanders can use more of.
He doesn’t need to produce a ton of points on the fourth line, he just needs to play solid defense and forecheck. He is a much better skater than both Matt Martin and Oliver Wahlstrom.
With the injuries ideally the lines I would like to see would be Engvall-Cizikas-Holmstrom on the third line and Foudy-MacLean-Wahlstrom on the fourth line. This would give the Islanders a different dynamic on the fourth line.
Do you think there is a chance they do this until Duclair and Barzal return?